Letter from the EditorGuiding Art Glass into Tomorrowby Shawn WaggonerEditor Shawn Waggoner gives an overview of the Glass Quest 2017 event that offered entertainment and information to attendees on different aspects of today’s challenges in being a glass artist. A roundtable discussion among noted presenters included a Q&A portion with ideas on how to adapt to changing times.

Art Glass Studio ProfileHaeuserHeil StudioMunich Style Meets David Fode’s Contemporary Aestheticby Shawn WaggonerDavid Fode’s alluring autonomous panels painted in the Munich style provide a canvas for his highly detailed and elaborate renderings, resulting in an irresistible synthesis of the exquisite and the macabre. For over 20 years, he has worked in stained glass replicating that style for new and preservation projects.

AGG NewsThe 2017 American Glass Guild Awardsby Tony GlanderThe American Glass Guild (AGG) presented two service and achievement awards during its 12th annual conference. Dennis Dailey and his wife, owners of DH Metals, received the 2017 AGG Joseph Barnes Award for service to the industry, and Mary Clerkin Higgins received the first Nicholas Parrendo Lifetime Achievement Award.

Architectural GlassSarah HallEnergizing Architectural Glass with Photovoltaic Cellsby Shawn WaggonerPhotos Courtesy of Sarah Hall StudioSarah Hall has refined a unique, high-tech approach to architectural glass that gifts the world with beauty and power. Through the use of photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy into electricity, her windows can store sunlight by day to backlight the glass by night.

Readers’ ForumReaders share their thoughts on profiles and articles featured in recent issues of Glass Art.

SAMA NewsMosaic Arts International 2017The 16th Annual Mosaic Arts International Exhibition (MAI) series, part of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, is a creative, innovative, and diverse collection offering a unique and compelling view of mosaic art in the 21st century. Fine Art and Site-Specific Awards were presented to eight SAMA artists who covered a multitude of design styles.

Working GreenerRick SilasUpcycling Tempered Glass as Artby Colleen BryanWhen Rick Silas sees the glass face of a commercial building, he thinks raw material. In the waste stream of tempered glass from office buildings, he has identified a source of material and patented a technology for working glass without heat known as Silastial™ Glass.

CGS NewsCelebrationsCommemorating 20 Years of Service to Contemporary Glass Artby Pam ReekieThe Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) will be celebrating 20 years of service to glass art and artists during its 2017 events. Celebrations, its upcoming exhibition, will be held at the Ruskin Glass Centre in Stourbridge, U.K., and will feature the work of 138 CGS members. Included will be several jury-selected works that received cash awards.

MarketingForty Years of Marketing Madnessby John C. Emery, Sr.Preston Studios believes that proper marketing techniques and being able to place products in the right places are essential to good business. The studio has long been part of the local Home Builders and Contractors Association, which gives them access to home shows where their stained glass art can be discovered by attendees.

Glass TalkGetting into Galleriesby Paul MessinkPaul Messink offers ways to help glass artists build and maintain relationships with galleries. Covered are four important points to help with the process including having a sellable product, selecting galleries that are a good fit, learning the best ways to approach them, and making yourself memorable to the owners.

Skills and TechniquesGetting Control of Your Slumpby Bob LeatherbarrowBob Leatherbarrow discusses the various difficulties encountered by glass artists when trying to find a good slumping schedule. Techniques covered include the correct time, temperature, span of the glass pieces, thickness of the glass, and viscosity. The artist then offers a “low and slow” technique to help overcome problems with slumping.

Winning GlassThe 2017 Glass Craft & Bead Expo Gallery of ExcellenceThe Glass Craft & Bead Expo once again presented its Gallery of Excellence, a juried exhibition that takes place each year during the trade show. Awards were presented to first, second, and third place winners for work in professional, amateur, and high school categories, as well as a People’s Choice Award selected by Expo attendees.

Independent ArtistAudrey Wilson’s Multimedia GlassChasing Truth in the How of Thingsby Colleen BryanOn topics ranging from scientific questions to political conspiracies, Audrey Wilson’s multimedia artwork tunnels through the intricacies of how. Her aim is not so much to communicate but rather to intimately know the nature of the concepts she explores and to document the truths she discovers along the way.

What’s Newby Darlene WelchWhat’s New offers information on the latest in books and patterns plus new glass and tools for hot, warm, and cold glass artists and hobbyists. This is the perfect place to keep up with the innovations that will make working in glass easier and more enjoyable.

Hot Glass Studio ProfileRobert MickelsenA Second Act in Functional Glassby Shawn WaggonerRobert Mickelsen’s second act in glass art not only pays homage to his early career in flameworking, but it also couldn’t have happened without it. The artist has gracefully transitioned from sculptural to functional glass, promoting his artwork to an entirely new fan base, resulting in the most successful years of his career.

GAS NewsThe 2018 Glass Art Society ConferenceIl Percorso di Vetro—The Glass PatchGlass Art Photos by Norbert HeylMurano Photos Courtesy of Kassaundra FarooqThe Glass Art Society (GAS) is thrilled to announce the theme of its 47th conference to be held in May 2018 in Murano, Italy. A selection of Murano’s glass factories and studios will provide GAS with the incredible opportunity to use these facilities as venues for the conference.